Department for Education

Schools: Standards

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made on the area-based approach tocommissioning trusts which will be rolled out in the Education Investment Areas this term.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they still plan to publish aprospectus covering each Education Investment Area in early autumn.

Baroness Barran: Officials have discussed with local authorities and Dioceses in Education Investment Areas (EIAs) the strategic needs of their areas and how area-based commissioning of trusts might take place. That exercise is leading to the development of statements that the department expects to publish later this year. In addition, regulations came into force on 1 September enabling the Secretary of State for Education to intervene in schools judged as Requires Improvement by Ofsted which were also judged below Good at their previous inspection, where they are not making the necessary improvements. The department plans to write to schools in EIAs informing them that they are eligible for intervention and inviting them to make representations.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Xinjiang: Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to table motions for consideration at (1) the UN Human Rights Council, (2) the General Assembly, and (3) the Security Council, following the United Nations reportOHCHR Assessment of human rights concerns in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China, published on 31 August.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights provides new evidence of the extent of China's efforts to silence and repress Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang. It includes a broad range of evidence, including first-hand accounts from victims.The UK has already led international efforts to pressure China to change its behaviour. We have imposed sanctions, led joint statements at the UN, taken action to tackle forced labour in supply chains, funded research to expose China's actions, and consistently raised China's human rights violations at the highest levels in Beijing.We have raised the report's findings with the Chinese Embassy in London as well as senior officials in Beijing. We are now considering appropriate next steps with our international partners.

Ministry of Defence

Reserve Forces: Reviews

Lord Houghton of Richmond: To ask His Majesty's Government why they have not responded to the Reserve Forces 2030 Review, published on 12 May 2021.

Baroness Goldie: I refer the noble and gallant Lord to the answer I gave on 20 September 2022 to the noble Lord, Lord De Mauley in response to Question HL2094. Reserve Forces: Reviews (docx, 20.8KB)

Treasury

Mortgages: Interest Rates

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have tosupport working families given rising mortgage rates.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Around 75% of residential mortgage borrowers are on fixed-rate deals and are therefore shielded from interest rate rises in the short term. However, the Government has already taken immediate action to help all households through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bills Support Scheme. This is in addition to the £37 billion of targeted support for the cost of living this financial year. When mortgage borrowers are in financial difficulty and struggling to pay their mortgage, Financial Conduct Authority guidance requires firms to provide support through tailored forbearance options. This could include measures such as a payment holiday, partial payment, or an extension of mortgage term. The Government has also taken a number of measures aimed at helping people to avoid repossession, including Support for Mortgage Interest loans for those in receipt of an income-related benefit, and protection in the courts through the Pre-Action Protocol, which makes it clear that repossession must always be the last resort for lenders.